Midnight Show
by SisiDraig - 2
Summary: He was driving along the blackened streets. The ones he knows so well. They’re lit only by that one flickering street lamp but that’s enough to show up the shine of the red leather, thigh-high boots, black leather shorts and war-paint make-up. Rating up?
1. Chapter 1

**D/C: No I don't.**

**A/N: I can only apologise for my twisted brain! =]**

* * *

He was driving along the blackened streets. The ones he knows so well. They're lit only by that one flickering street lamp but that's enough to show up the shine of the red leather, thigh-high boots, black leather shorts and war-paint make-up. He sighed. It had been a bad day. He needed this, he told himself as he turned down a side alley. He looked for his regular. Then he spotted him. In amongst the drugged up woman and the desperate teenage mums. He's wearing those white platform shoes and impossibly tight jeans. His black hair is styled to perfection and his eyes are lined with black.

As the car drew near, the lady-man twitches like a cat that's heard it's food being opened. It was a strange instinctive recognition of a fee. He turned his head and the car headlights threw his profile onto the brick wall of the dead end. He licked his lips and then walked towards the car, hips swinging like a musical broad. The car window rolled down half way, so that the fair's face was obscured but it didn't matter, he knew who it was from the car and the nervous quake in the northern voice when he said,

"Get in."

The man in the platforms and the too tight trousers didn't need to be asked twice. He sauntered around to the passenger side, spitting his gum out as he went. He opened the door and slid into the seat. No sooner had he shut the door, the car hurtled away.

The driver was nervous, even though he'd done it before. He always gets nervous. It's usually about now that the feelings of doubt about what he's doing creep in. What if someone sees him? He's the councillor for god sake and he's getting married to the mayor's daughter next month. It's just one last time, he told himself. It's always one last time.

"Been a long time since I've seen you, Jim." The man in the passenger seat said, reaching over to play with the driver's ear.

Jim. The false name he'd given himself to protect his identity. In reality, it didn't do anymore to protect him than his massive aviator glasses. They both knew who he was but this pretty play-thing would keep up the charade of 'Jim the Bank Manager' because he was just a street whore and he needed the cash.

"It's been a while," the driver agreed as the man began to kiss his jaw and ear.

"Are things going well at the … _bank_?" the man whispered, putting unneeded emphasis on the final word. As though 'Jim' might have forgotten he worked in a bank or that bank was code for council.

"We don't talk about work," the driver reminded him.

The other man shrugged and pulled away a little but he wasn't finished. His hand found it's way to Jim's corduroy trousers and massaged the inside of his thigh.

"Stop," he hissed, squirming a little as the clever, practiced hand of the passenger moves higher, resting on his crotch.

"You'll make me crash," he insisted as the other man's lips return to his neck.

"Can't have that, can we?" The passenger said stopping all his attention and looking out of the window. It's mere seconds before the driver was begging for him to continue.

They didn't make it to the drivers four bedroom, semi-detached house in the suburbs. They usually do but tonight the driver was desperate for a fix. He needed that whorish, over-done, over-sexed excuse for a man now! He pulled over into a leafy lay-by and drove the car in as far as possible in a weak attempt at hiding it from view of the road.

"Romantic," the passenger scorned but he was already squirming his way onto the back seat, pulling varying colours of condom from his miniscule jeans pockets. "You're a brown man, ain't ya Jim?" He grinned, producing the square packet and waving it in front of the other man's face.

--

He felt dirty afterwards as he watched his fix squeeze himself back into his clothes and tidy his make-up in the wing mirror. He felt even dirtier when he handed over the money and he felt foolish when the man snatched it and pocketed it greedily. Sometimes, in the throws of passion, he actually believed what this blue eyed beauty said about needing him and love. But it's just words. Meaningless, useless words, all in the name of a tip. And the driver tipped well, twice the fee usually because somehow that allows him to justify his actions. He felt like he was saving the man in someway but he's not sure how.

"You gonna take me back 'en of wha'?" The man asked when he'd finished tidying himself up.

"Erm … yeah, of course. Where do you want to go?"

"Back where you found me please gorgeous."

"But it's four in the morning. Don't you want to go home?"

"Nah, I've got at least another fair to get in tonight."

"But I've paid you double."

"And that's great but I need as much money as I can. I dot a family to support."

"Family?" The driver asked.

"What's so surprising about tha'?"

"Well, I mean … I just assumed you were … you know, gay.""I'd say the same about you if I didn't know you were engaged to that pretty girlie who's dad's mayor. But that's not you, is it, Jim?"

The driver glares at the man ahead of him. He somehow hates him and needs him at the same time. He certainly doesn't want him out on the streets again that night.

"What if I pay you double again?"

"For wha'?" The man asked, raising his perfectly plucked eyebrow.

"Nothing. Just to let me take you home."

"Let me get this straight, you wanna pay me double again to take me 'ome?"

The driver nods carefully.

"An' wha's init for you?"

"Nothing." The driver answers honestly.

"So why?"

"Because …" But he was forced to stop because there was no reason other than petty, unexplainable, undeserving jealousy. Truth was, he wanted to be this boys only fair ever. He knew the boy was a whore, he'd just paid him for sex but he didn't want to share him. It was irrational but he hated the idea. The driver wanted to think that he was special but it was clear from the look in the kid's eyes that he really, really wasn't.

"Alrigh'," the kid agreed. "You pay be double, you can take me 'ome. Chandos Rise."

--

The driver wasn't sure what he had been expecting but it certainly wasn't this. Broken glass blanketed the floor and collapsed balconies were the decoration of the day. Burnt out cars, overflowing skips and fires in bins surrounded by people in holey gloves and flea-bitten coats and scarves. In the middle of the debris and carnage was a block of high-rise flats. The entrance to the building had a beggar asleep in the shelter and the majority of the windows were boarded up.

"H-here?" the driver asked nervously.

"Perfect," the passenger nodded. He clambered out of the car, thanking him for the lift, and then turned around and held out his hand expectantly. The driver had almost forgotten he'd promised to double his fair. He handed over the extra cash, it was only money after all.

"Same time next week, eh lover?"

"Erm … no. I won't be seeing you again."

"Ah, you say that every time."

"No. I know but … I'm getting married and …"

"Tell ya wha'. You take my number," the whore said, producing eyeliner from nowhere and scrawling the digits on the drivers hand. "Then if ya need me ever … you give me a ring, yeah?"

The driver could only watch as the man walked to the entrance to the tower block. As soon as he got to the door, children came from nowhere and the driver could only watch as the man greeted each one like a son, ruffling their hair, straightening their clothes and ushering them inside the run-down, teetering building.

The driver drove away. He couldn't bear to watch anymore.

* * *

**I don't know where it's going ... but I sure know where it's been ... (okay, so lets pretend that weird missquote of Bon Jovi DIDN'T happen) What I was trying to say was i'm not sure where i'm going with this ... idea's would be nice if anyone wants to throw them my way. I've got quite a few floating about at the moment but they're all a bit odd. Either way I can promise they'll be corruption, underworld, love and hardship and probably some horrifically disneyfied happy ending! (there usually is in my attempts at fics). Also, I will attempt to return to cannon at some point! =] **

**xx**


	2. Chapter 2

"Please hold. Hello … No, he's not here right now, please hold. Hello … No, I'm sorry. Can I get him to call you back? No, okay. Please hold."

The door swung open and Howard Moon walked in. His suit was perfectly buttoned, his tie was millimetre perfect, his hair brushed and tidied to perfection but his eyes had huge black rings beneath them and his wrinkles seem deeper that usual. He was clutching a flask of coffee tight to his chest as though it were a life raft.

"Morning sir," the exasperated receptionist smiled. "I've got," she took a quick check of the numbers, "7 people on hold for you."

"I'll take them in my office," he said, heading towards his room. "Oh, and Megan, could you look into Chandos Rise please."

"Look into it how, sir?"

"Just any plans for the area, refurbishment, demolition, that kind of thing."

"No problem, sir."

Howard sat back in his chair and ran his hands down his face. He was exhausted. He hadn't slept last night. He hadn't been able too. He'd felt more guilty than ever before. He'd finally seen how desperate those streetwalkers were and he couldn't bear it. That man, Vince Noir his name was, he was the most perfect, most beautiful thing Howard had ever seen. He was the only person in the world that gave Howard the release he needed. He was Howard's only addiction. His personal drug. And now he'd seen where he lived. He'd known he must be desperate, he'd known he was pretty much fresh out of school if he'd even been to school but he hadn't expected him to live in such squalor.

Howard took the phone calls from reception. Boring mainly. And then the regular call from Mrs Barber, who thought the hoodies should be stopped and probably put it some medieval dungeon. She'd be 90 in the autumn and she'd been brainwashed by the Daily Mail to think that everything can and probably will hurt her.

Howard would listen to her complain and fill her full of false promises of change before going on with the rest of his boring day. He stapled a few things and signed a few proposals. Get rid of the rotten tree in the children's park - Yes. Refurbish the memorial statue that was refurbished last year - No. New bins - No. New bus stops - No. Drug raids in suspect areas - Yes. Clearance of travellers from surrounding fields - Yes. Clearance of prostitutes from Landsdown - ….

Howard stared at the proposal for ages, his pen hovering just above the page. It was a no-brainer, surely. It would cost very little to do, it just involved that heftiest of policemen strolling down there and issuing notices to a few people. Forcing them to move on, arresting those that refrained. But Howard couldn't stop himself from seeing the face of the pretty young boy. It's irrational, he thought, and put his pen to the paper. Just as he was about to sign, there was a knock at the door and Megan popped her head in the room.

"Mr Moon, I have the information on Chandos Rise."

"Excellent," Mr Moon said, leaping to his feet, banging his knee on the desk. "Was there anything important?" He asked, nursing the bruising flesh."Not really," she sighed, flicking through the endless bits of paper until she found a couple of newspapers and an official looking report. "Seems it belonged to some man named Colin Furnier, who had it as a block of exclusive apartments. He died ten years ago and it got taken over by the council. From what I can gather it's been rundown ever since." She put the relevant information on the table.

"Right, thanks Megan," Howard said."No problem sir. Are you thinking of issuing the notice for demolition?"

"Erm … maybe," Howard nodded. It was as good excuse as any for requesting the information and it wasn't as though he could tell her he was concerned for the welfare of his personal prostitute.

"In that case you'll need this," Megan handed over another envelope. "They've tried to demolish it before," she smiled. "But there was a whole load of legal loopholes. Maybe you can wade through it and get that damn building knocked to the ground."

"That's the plan," Howard said, running a hand through his hair as the papers slammed onto his desk.

He pushed them to the side and pulled the proposals back in front of him. Clearance of Prostitutes from Landsdown - … Then he noticed the number scrawled on his hand. He hadn't been able to bring himself to wash it off in the shower. In fact he'd had to work really hard to keep it intact. The numbers stare at him accusingly. Part of him tells him to just go to sink and scrub it off and sign the proposal. This is his chance. He could be free of that kid forever. But he simply can't bring himself to severe the final ties between them. He needs to know he could get to Vince if things got really bad.

Howard does authorise the proposal and he does wash his hand. But not until after the number is firmly stored in his phone under 'Jim'.

--

Howard was reading article after article, report after report about Chandos Rise. Pre-take over it had all _seemed_ very middle class and very respectable. It was marketed as luxury apartments, which people were renting out for indeterminate amount of times. Post-take over it just fell to the destitute and the stories got wild. Howard was so caught up in the newspaper articles that he hardly noticed the drilling ring-ring sound.

"Hello," he said eventually picking up the phone, still flicking through the papers.

"Howard! It's Frank."

Howard jumped and the papers were forgotten as he paid the phone his full attention, "Hello Sir, Mayor sir."

"Howard, you're virtually family. Please, call me dad."

"Right, hello … erm, dad."

"That's better. Listen, me and the wife … we're having a bit of a surprise celebratory, welcome home party for our Mary tonight. Will you be able to join us?"

"Of course, absolutely."

"Right, well be at ours at say 7.30pm. Mary's coming straight here after her flight." Suddenly, Howard spotted something on one of the papers that made him frown and the rest of the mayor's words faded into the background. Howard just held the phone to his ear humming and agreeing every now and again to show he was still there. The headline read; _Whore House Bought Up By Council. _It was only a short article and it was in some publication that Howard had never heard of but it completely contradicted every other story he had read.

"Er, yeah, sorry Frank. I'm gonna have to go. Someone important on the other line." He hung up and pulled the newspaper in front of him.

_The underworld gained another notorious bastard today as Colin Furnier finally succumbed to the will of the reaper and took his first steps to sit at the side of the devil. Furnier's funeral has brought about the end of the horrific dealings of Landsdown's worst estate, Chandos Rise. Maybe this will see an end to the flamboyant prostitution and drug smuggling that has been rife there since 1982. The Mayor has been …_

Howard flipped the scrap of newspaper over but there was no more to the story. Howard frowned. He wanted to hear this other opinion. He needed balance to the stories he'd heard in the official local paper which just spoke of what a great business man Colin Furnier was. Howard researched this odd newspaper on the internet and discovered it was the local uni paper. He frowned. Maybe it wasn't the most reliable of sources then. But still, it would do him well to get another side to the Chandos Rise story.

"Sir," Megan's voice came through the phone on his desk, "I'm got a Ms Rachael Gardner to see you."

"Send her in." Howard said, sweeping all the Chandos Rise info straight into an empty draw.

Ms Gardner was a student, who'd contacted Howard a couple of weeks ago asking for work placement. He, of course, had said yes, much to the surprise of many of the councillors. They weren't really one's for helping the community, they were more about helping themselves, whereas Howard had always been about giving to others, especially if it meant taking a bit of time to help a budding councillor. It turned out Rachael Gardner wanted to be a politician.

"…in the white house or summat," she gabbled, "like prime minister of America. Coz that's like the 'ighest you can get in politics, init?"

Howard just endured the nonsense. He endured it all morning, all through lunch and all afternoon until it was finally her time to go home. He learnt she had a cat named Jess "like on Postman Pat". He learnt the dark colour of her hair was dye and she was actually a strawberry blonde colour. He learnt she had a brother named Tom. He learnt she was allergic to dairy products. He learnt she wanted to be a journalist as a child. He learnt her favourite child's story was the Three Little Pigs. He learnt her dream was to become the first female president. Howard hadn't bothered pointing out it would be physically impossible for her to do so. He just let the noise drown him as he whiled away the seconds until she left.

Almost as soon as she'd gone, he picked up his mobile phone and punched in a number.

"Hello … It's, erm … Jim. Can I see you? … Now. Yeah … at mine."

He hung up. One last time, he promised himself. Just one last time.

--

They were both led on the king sized bed panting loudly. They'd been there for a good five minutes now and Vince still hadn't moved. Usually, as soon as it was over he was dressed and gone like a flash but today he was taking his time. Howard didn't mind. He quite liked that he was sticking around a bit. It made it feel like it meant more somehow.

Vince rolled on to his side and fixed his eyes on Howard. Howard just looked back at the pale skin, perfect complexion and rib cage you could play xylophone on. And of course there were those eyes. The most hypnotising things Howard had ever seen. They made Howard feel all the emotions in the world and his stomach churned from the power of his gaze. Then Vince asked;

"Can I have my money?"

Howard nodded slowly. He reached over to get his wallet from the bedside table and handed over the cash in silence.

"Cheers," Vince grinned, "s'been a pleasure doin' business wiv ya, Jim." He slid out of the bed, pulled his clothes on and left without another word.

Howard kicked himself for even daring to believe that there could be more to the way Vince looked at him. He was just a client in the eyes of Vince Noir and nothing more. Howard got out of bed and walked to the window. He watched the thin form of his fix stroll casually away down the pavement. He was teasing his hair up as he went. He didn't have his platforms this afternoon and he didn't have his shirt virtually unbuttoned. He'd been wearing converses and a shirt with Marc Bolan emblazoned on the front. His make up had been a lot less obvious and his jewellery was less extreme. He just looked like a regular young man.

In fact, he'd reminded Howard of how he'd looked the first time Howard had first picked him up over a year ago. That's how it had all started. Howard had needed to explore those feelings he'd had as a spotty adolescent. He'd been returning to Vince ever since. It wasn't his fault really. He fell in love easily. All someone had to do was show Howard a bit of affection and he was theirs. It didn't matter that the affection was paid for.


	3. Chapter 3

Howard was late to the mayor's house. Obviously. He'd had to throw the bed sheets into the washing machine and bleach and febreeze the whole room before he left. Vince just seemed to leave the stench of weed behind him wherever he went. Howard knocked on the door to the huge house nervously and the mayor opened it. His face was bright red and his eyes were a bit glassy and Howard could tell he'd been drinking.

"HOWARD!" he roared, smacking Howard so hard on the back that he thought his vital organs would appear in his throat.

"Hello sir."

"Howard," Frank warned.

"Sorry. Hello dad."

"Ah, you're learning. Why're you so late?"

"I got held up at work," was the lie.

"Ah, you work too hard son," the mayor frowned ushering Howard into the front room. He kissed Mary briefly and then settled to watch the video's and slideshows of her wild hen week. And there it was. Simple as that. No one had to know about his dirty little secret.

--

"I know about your dirty little secret."

Howard spluttered coffee right across his desk, covering numerous important papers with the brown liquid.

"What?" he asked. It had come from nowhere. Ms Rachel Gardner had been gabling on about something or other. Something completely unimportant and tedious and then suddenly this.

"Yeah. I saw it happening. Well, not _it_ but … you know what I mean."

"I'm afraid I haven't got a clue what you're talking about," Howard said, bristling his moustache and tidying his papers. Deny everything Moon, he told himself. Deny everything!

"Oh come on Mr Moon. I watched Vince Noir leaving your house yesterday afternoon."

"Yes." - Howard begged his brain to come up with a suitable lie.

"I'm interviewing young men on their opinions of ladders." - Or not.

"You were paying him to shag you," Rachael shot back. She suddenly looked older and Howard wondered if she were a student at all.

"I, er … no." Howard fumbled with his words.

"Mr Moon, Vince Noir is a hooker. One of the street crawlers _you _signed the authorisation to remove from the streets. Bit contradictory, isn't it?"

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about? And what's happened to your accent?"

"That was just a cover. My name's Debora Hall." Howard recognised that name. "I'm a journalist and you, Mr Moon, are the topic of my next exposé."

"What?" Howard gasped, "No. Please. What can I do to keep you quiet?"

"Money," she grinned.

Howard just stared at her. He'd assumed she'd say nothing. He'd assumed she would want to expose the truth but he was quickly learning that everything in this town could be bought. He handed over the amount she wanted and purchased her silence.

It was only later he remembered where he recognised her name from. It was that weird uni newspaper report. He rung her immediately.

"I can't say anything," she insisted. "I made a promise not to talk."

"But it was just an opinion."

"No, it was the truth. Everyone in the government knew it. That's why they paid me to shut up. Told me I had to say I'd made it up in the name of controversy."

"So what is the truth?"

"Why are you so interested anyway? I know you're shagging one of their best hookers but surely that's where it should end."

"If this government is corrupt then…"

"Corrupt? Everyone of you have a dark secret ready to expose. I just make more money keeping quiet, if you catch my drift."

"All of us?"

"Oh Howard, you're tame in comparison to some of them. In fact, your secret is _exactly _the same as Peter Hogan's."

"How exactly?"

"Same hooker and everything."

Howard felt his blood boiling in his veins. Peter Hogan? He was the biggest waste of space on the planet. He was huge and he usually hadn't buttoned his shirt up properly. He often had some kind of food stain down his shirts or was dribbling down his chin. He couldn't even do his job properly. Vince shouldn't be made to go anywhere near him.

"Oh my god," the cruel laugh came down the phone line. "You're jealous. I can hear it in the way you're breathing shortened. You're ridiculous Mr Moon and completely odd. All the other government members, they're fine with what they do … but you? It doesn't sit with you. Why not just give up? You're getting married soon."

Howard knew she was right but it didn't help. He couldn't give up seeing Vince. He just couldn't.

"Well … whatever." Debora Hall sighed. "If you really want to know the truth about Chandos Rise, you need to look deeper into Colin Furnier. I'll see you around Howard."

--

Howard did all the research in the world. Colin Furnier only had positive things said about him. Business man with a fantastic intuition for making money. Died on the 13th July 1998, leaving all his assets, possessions and creations to the government. Howard had read that [particular sentence over and over again. Assets, possessions and creations. It was strangely worded. Very strangely worded. He looked deeper into any inventions or patents Furnier might have been sitting on. There were none.

"Present Mr Noir," the receptionist smiled dropping the box onto his table. "It's from the mayor," she smiled raising her eyebrows.

Howard thanked her and opened the box carefully, inside was a tacky 'No 1 Son-in-Law' ornament for your car mirror. He rolled his eyes and put it back in the box. As though it wasn't bad enough that Mary was nagging him about getting a move on with planning the wedding, now her dad was sending him not-so-subtle reminders too.

The worst thing about the ornament, if it could be called that, was that Mary and Frank insisted on checking it was up in the car all the time. He had to fix it to the mirror and it was constantly drawing his attention from the road, with it's bright colours and flashing red light.

--

Mary was fuming when he got home from work that night. Howard thought it would be because he was late, because it was another meal missed and ruined but this was a different kind of anger. She looked like she was going to knock him out. Her fists were clenched together, her jaw was rigid and she was glaring right at him.

"Good day," he questioned timidly.

"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN SPENDING MONEY ON!?" she screeched.

Oh.

"I WENT INTO OUR _JOINT _ACCOUNT_, _THAT'S _JOINT _MEANING MINE TOO, AND THERE'S TWO GRAND MISSING FROM IT."

"Yeah, about that…"

"I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO LEAVE IT AS WEDDING FUNDS."

"It was an emergency," Howard tried feebly. He'd needed to see Vince, he'd needed to keep Rachael quiet. They were emergencies … sort of.

"TWO GRAND!? TWO GRAND!"

"Well … I … erm." He really had nothing to say. He couldn't think of a two grand emergency. Even over the six months he'd been dipping in and out of the funds to fuel his need, he never thought he'd have racked up that amount of debt. He'd thought it would be hardly noticeable.

"WELL?"

"Erm … the car!" he blurted out. "I rolled it and I didn't want you to know."

There was a pause. A horrible moment as Howard waited for her to believe or discard his story.

"Well, I can't have my horse and carriage now," Mary said, tears rolling down her face. Howard sighed. He was relieved that she believed him but just a little hurt she didn't seem to care about his imaginary car crash.

"Well … do we really need a horse and carriage? I'll be happy if it were just you and me in a cardboard box. I just want you."

"A cardboard box!?" she bellowed. "I want my horse and carriage. I've been dreaming about my wedding in a castle since I was a little girl and I _always _arrive by horse and carriage."

"Look, I'm sure we can sort something out. So we're not as rich as we thought we were."

"I know. I mean, I don't know if I want to marry a man who can't manage his money. What if we end up poor one day?"

"We won't." Howard reassured her, "but if we do, we'll have each other."

"Oh Howard stop it!" she cried, and with that she ran off up the stairs.

For the third day in a row, Howard needed Vince but, for the first time ever, he resisted. He went into the living room and put the television on instead. Anything to stop him thinking of the man writhing and needing him too. Anything to stop thinking about those eyes and that touch. Stop it, Howard warned himself. .He couldn't afford to see Vince anymore. Just as he was forcing himself to relax, his phone started to ring and the name 'Jim' flashed on the screen.

Howard answered immediately. All he could here was yells and shouts and the phrase over and over of 'get off me'.

Howard didn't even hesitate. He leapt up and ran for his car.

"Where are you going?" Mary asked as she walked down the stairs, eyes still red and bloodshot.

"Out!" He shouted back and was gone.

--

Chandos Rise. He really, really hoped Vince was at Chandos Rise, otherwise he'd never get there in time. He left his car in the car park, door wide open. He didn't really care about it. He ran to the building and threw open the door. There were concrete stairs straight up and a small child sat on one of the steps. He looked about nine or ten. He had big, blue, innocent eyes but Howard knew he'd have seen more corruption than Howard ever would.

"Alri' mister. You lookin' for summat?"

"Erm … Vince Noir."

"Ahh. Room 7, mister." And Howard was running, "But he's with someone." The boy called after him. Howard could only briefly wonder how much the boy knew about Vince's industry as he ran faster than he ever had before.

He took the steps two at a time and when he reached room seven he heard a yell of "Stop! Please stop!" coming from within.

That was all it took. In a rare moment of manliness, Howard kicked the door open and went inside. Vince was pressed, face against the opposite wall, with a huge, fat man behind him who had a food stain on his shirt and was clawing at Vince's jeans with his podgy fingers. Howard wasted no time. He grabbed the heaviest object he could find, an iron, and let it go above Paul Hogan's head. The sound he made as he hit the floor was one of the most satisfying Howard had ever heard.

Vince span around immediately and saw Howard. He was shaking violently and there were tears in his eyes but he said calmly, "What are you doing here Jim?"

"Howard," Howard corrected him. He wasn't sure why.

"Jim," Vince insisted with a look of pleading in his eyes.

Howard frowned but nodded, "You rang me."

"You?" Vince asked. He looked really miserable when he heard that as though he'd tried to get hold of anyone but him. "Great," he scorned. "I guess you'll be wantin' payment for savin' me, yeah?" He dropped to his knees. "Mind if I jus' suck ya?"

Howard reached down and grabbed Vince's arm dragging him upwards. He was still shaking.

"Get up," he urged him. "Just, stop for a second. I don't need payment just …." He trailed off, stroking Vince's hair out of his teary eyes. Suddenly, Vince collapsed onto him, sobbing loudly. Howard just held him in his arms.


	4. Chapter 4

"What happened?" Howard asked, when Vince had calmed down and was dipping a biscuit into his tea.

"I dunno," the kid shrugged. "I don't like working on this day. It's the only day I have off a year."

"13th July?" Howard asked, "why?"

"Only day that's important," he shrugged. "Then Paul comes along and forces his way in here. He wouldn't take no for an answer. You know Paul, yeah? He works with ya?"

"Yeah," Howard nodded. They'd dragged Paul out of the building and left him to recover. He'd still had a pulse. He was fine.

"I think a few of the people who come here work with ya." Vince rattled off a list of names. Howard recognised them all.

"Right upper-class whore I am," he grinned. "They're all the same though. Fat, more money than sense, got their jobs because they're the son of someone. Or a friend of someone else. They're bored with their uninventive wives. Boisterous and confident. Use and abuse us." Vince was glaring at something in the corner of the room. Howard turned to see what it was. Suddenly, Vince grabbed his face and pulled him to look at him, straddling his lap.

"Don't," he whispered in his ear. "You …" Vince continued, dropping his voice so Howard could hardly make out what he was saying, "you're not like them at all. You only moved to this town a few years ago. You had no family or friends to get you your job. You worked hard to get to where you are now. You weren't involved with the Chandos Rise corruption and yet, you're still on my list. I've never understood why you come to me."

"I … I … I don't..."

"It's okay," Vince smiled, moving back a little so he was balancing on Howard's knees. "It's fine. I don't mind you. I prefer you to the others."

"Coz I tip more?"

"Coz you act like you care," Vince answered calmly, letting his fingers play with the curls of Howard's scruffy hair. "It's nice to be with someone who isn't constantly reminding me I'm a whore and that they're paying for me to do what they tell me." There was a pause and then, "I've never slept with anyone who cares about me. I've never had anyone that cares about me."

The kid looked down and right then Howard saw a man who'd been beaten down and used all his life. He looked meek and weak and above all he looked young.

"How old are you Vince?"

"Eighteen." Just a child really, Howard concluded and he suddenly felt even worse about all the times he'd used Vince himself. He was still just a boy.

"How long have you been working?"

"Since I was sixteen," Vince said, "I was costing Frank money."

"Who?"

"Er …" Vince faltered, sliding off Howard's lap.

Just then, the little boy from the steps peeked around the door.

"Pip," moaned Vince, grateful for the change in conversation, "what have I told you about coming in here when I've got people around?"

"But it's your day off," moaned the child. "Why are you working? That fat man said he'd made an appointment with ya."

"I'm … I'm not working anymore."

"So what about 'im?" The boy pointed a finger accusingly at Howard.

"He's not here for that," Vince assured him. "Come on, are you hungry?"

The little boy nodded and skipped into the room. Vince got up and went to the filthy kitchen part of the flat.

"Hello mister," the boy held out a grubby hand to Howard, "I fink we met on the stairs. The name's Phillip Francis Furni-."

"Pip!" Vince shouted quickly.

"Er … Noir. Phillip Francis Noir."

"Did you say Furnier?" Howard asked.

"No," the little boy lied, his blue eyes widening even more. He had cheekbones that jutted a little despite the baby fat and cheeky grin. He had a way about him that was all too familiar. Howard looked up at Vince who was looking back, a strangled sadness on his face. They looked exactly the same.

"Pip, go and get the others. Tell them it's time to eat."

"Okay Vince," Pip grinned running off.

"So is he your son?" Howard asked.

"Howard do your maths, I'd have been ten."

"Oh. Brother then?"

Vince nodded slowly.

"Furnier?" Howard asked. Vince didn't move this time. He neither confirmed nor denied anything.

"Vincent Furnier?" Howard tried again.

Again, Vince didn't move.

"So what? You're Collin's son. Ah, okay and that's why you don't work today because this is the day he died."

Vince still stayed silent but his head nodded just a little.

"And when he died, his assets, everything he owned … he left to the government."

"Think smaller," Vince whispered in a strangled painful way.

"The council?"

"Smaller."

"The …" Howard thought for a second. He stared at Vince and the boy just stared back, he was willing Howard to guess. And suddenly it dawned on him . Vince had said he 'wasn't making Frank any money.'

"The mayor?" Howard asked.

Vince smiled at him.

"The mayor." Howard repeated slowly. "Collin Furnier left everything he had, including his two children," Vince made a gesture to signal more, "three children?" Vince nodded again. "To the mayor. Why?"

Vince didn't answer, once again he was silent and frozen. Just then, Pip appeared with teenage boy who looked almost identical to Vince and Howard concluded he must be the third brother. Behind him were kids of all colour and size.

"Pip, Dan, come here a minute," Vince called over the noise of chattering children. The Furnier brother's crowded into a corner and Vince started whispering to them. They nodded, looking over at Howard and then to that spot in the corner that Vince kept staring at. Howard went to turn around again but the boy named Dan was there immediately. He crouched down and whispered in Howard's ear.

"You have to leave, now. Don't turn around."

Howard nodded slowly and sidestepped his way awkwardly out of the room.

Dan took him down the stairs and got into the car next to Howard.

"Drive," he told him. "I'll explain everything just drive."

--

"His flat's bugged?" Howard asked. They were parked in a leafy alcove just a few hundred yards away from Chandos Rise. Howard knew it well, it wasn't the first time he'd parked here. In the early days Vince used to make him go here all the time.

"Not bugged as such as a studio. He's bugged. Everything he does and says is monitored."

"Why?"

"Because he's a liability."

"How?"

"He and Frank are the only people who know what really went on before our dad died. I was five I can barely remember it and Pip wasn't even born. We're the only people who still really know what goes on. My brother could probably bring down the entire council. Every single one of you has been to that flat, whether it be with him or one of the women Frank employs. Frank gets it all on tape. Keeps them for blackmail. Sells the kinkier ones on the internet. You're the only one Frank doesn't know about, because you're the only Vince wouldn't bring back. I don't know why but he seems to think you're special. That you're different somehow. I think he's just got a soft spot for tall, dark and handsome. _I _think you're just as corrupt as the rest of them. You've got your misses at home, just like the rest of them. You earn more money than you know what to do with, just like the rest of them. You pay to fuck my brother, just like the rest of them. Except your worse, because somehow, you're managing to break his heart."

"I wouldn't pay if I didn't have to," Howard cried.

Dan just smirked, "and he's breaking yours. You're both pathetic. It can never happen. You're getting yourself into a whole world of things you can never understand. I suggest you stay out of it."

"But what about Vince?"

"He wants you away from all this…"

"B-"

"Leave," Dan repeated, getting out of the car.

"Dan, how old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"When are you sixteen?"

"Next month."

"Aren't you at all afraid that Frank's going to make you do the same as Vince does."

Dan's expression didn't falter. He just stared hard at Howard.

"Leave," He said sternly, slamming the door and walking back to Chandos.

--

"Everything okay?" Vince asked, when Dan came back to the room. Dan nodded slowly.

"He won't be coming back round here in a hurry."

"Good," Vince nodded. Then he saw the strange expression on Dan's face. "Are you okay?"

"It's only a month Vince," Dan sighed, "I don't want to..."

"I know," Vince cut in, putting his arms around his brother. "Go and eat something, try not to think about it, okay?"

Dan nodded and sat down with the children.

"Eat up Shelly," Vince smiled down at a large blonde girl with pigtails. "You'll be moaning you're hungry later and I've run out of chocolate."

"Awwww," groaned a few of the children.

"But we didn't have any last week," moaned a boy of a about twelve.

"I know, I'm sorry," Vince apologised. "I'll … I'll work harder next week."

"Don't," Dan said in a tone that was almost a beg.

"Please Vince," Pip agreed, attacking his leg with a hug, "we can go without chocolate."

"We can't!" the boy spoke again.

"Rob shut up," Dan said, punching him on the shoulder, "stop demanding things. Be happy you've even got food."

"Sorry," the boy apologized quickly, rubbing his arm, "I can go without chocolate too."

Vince smiled weakly and leant against the kitchen counter. He watched as the children scoffed their two chicken nuggets and handful of chips. They were hungry, of course they were, but the majority of Vince's money was going to Frank and the rest he was splitting between eleven children. Eleven kids born out of prostitution and born into a life of nothing. A life where there mum's didn't want them. Vince took them all in. He kept them clothed and fed and cleaned as well as he could but it was hard. It had always been hard. It probably always would be.


	5. Chapter 5

Vince was asleep early that night. He wasn't used to getting much sleep if any, so he'd settled down at about eleven. The children were led all over the flat, Pip was curled up on a dog basket and Dan was flat out on the sofa. The girl Shelly was wrapped up in blankets and Rob was huddled in the corner with a couple of other children. Vince was just led on the floor with a thin blanket draped across him. His phone rang in his pocket and woke him up.

"Hello,"

"It's Jim, meet me at my house."

Dial tone.

Vince pushed himself awkwardly to his feet. His limbs were aching from sleeping on the hard floor.

"Vince," Dan's voice broke through the greying image of the room, "where are you going?"

"Out."

"Why?"

"Work."

"Vince?"

"I'm seeing Jim."

"Vince, don't."

Vince felt his brother's hand rest on his arm.

"What if he can help us?" Vince asked.

"He can't," Dan said sympathetically. "You know there's nothing he can do. Just stop it."

"Stop what?"

"Falling for him because he was nice to you."

"But…"

"You're too trusting Vince."

"Look, maybe he can't help me but maybe he could get you and Pip away from here."

"Vince shush." Dan urged, "just go back to bed."

"I can't. I won't see you become what I am Dan."

--

Vince turned up at Howard's house within twenty minutes. Howard ushered him in immediately and dragged him up to his bedroom.

"Sit there," he said forcefully pushing him next to the TV. Then he pointed the remote in Vince's direction and turned on one of the explicit channels.

Vince frowned and looked at Howard completely confused. Howard held up a white cardboard sign in response.

_I know you're bugged. Now it'll just sound like you're working._

Vince nodded.

_Where's the mic?_

Vince pulled his shirt off and lifted his left arm, pointing to a small scar. Howard recoiled a little. He thought it would have been in his phone or his shoe. He hadn't realised it would actually be inside him. He didn't have a card ready in response for that, so he moved on to the next question.

_Did your Dad run a brothel? _

Vince nodded.

_Was it legal?_

Vince screwed up his face a little and wavered his hand. Howard took that to mean partly.

_Was Frank involved?_

Vince nodded his head.

_Was he running it?_

Vince shook his head but gestured frantically for the pen and paper. Howard handed them over quickly.

_This myt take a wile, _he wrote, _neva went to scool._

Howard smiled warmly at him and rubbed his arm letting him know it was okay. Then he sat down on the end of the bed and waited patiently for Vince to work through what he was saying.

It took ages. Almost fifteen minutes later, Vince handed over a paragraph of scribbled writing.

_Frank waz a friend of me dads but they fell out over my mum. They both loved her so there was a bit of a story. My dad had a gamblin problem. He lost everything to Frank in a game of poker. Frank just took over. I was bout 5. I remember everythin got horrible. My dad got really depressed. Four years later he died and we became Frank's property officially. He turned my mum into a prostitute but she couldn't cope. _

_All the camera's went in the rooms and Frank hired more and more prostitutes. And now it's as it is._

Howard walked over and wrapped Vince's discarded t-shirt around the microphone in his arm. Then he leant in to the opposite ear and whispered,

"Why can't you just walk away?"

Vince just shook his head, "I can't" he whispered back, "He'd find me."

"Go to the police."

"But …"

"Just tell them what you told me."

"But the chief of the police force is a customer of ours. That's what I'm saying. This whole town is corrupt. Frank run's the place because he has video evidence of all of them with hookers."

"What can I do to help?" Howard asked.

It was then, and only then, that Vince realised the truth.

"Nothing," he replied wistfully. "There's nothing you or anyone else can do, not for me … just." He snatched the paper up again and scribbled something on it.

_Could you get Dan and Pip out of here? _It read.

Howard nodded. He could get the two boys away from there. He was sure of it. But he had a plan to get them all out and he was pretty sure it would work.

--

It was three days until he got married but he'd hardly had chance to think about it. He'd been perfecting his plan to get the youngest Furnier boys to somewhere safe. He'd tried to searched family members but it was nearly impossible seeing as he didn't know their mothers. Eventually, he found some aunty twice removed, a spinster who lived in France, who agreed to take them in on the condition they do chores around the house. Howard had said that would be fine.

He rang Vince almost immediately to tell him. They agreed to meet up, sat at the side of the road in Howard's car. Howard handed over a detailed essay of his plan. Vince skimmed it and suddenly he attacked Howard's lips with his own. Howard didn't stop him. He didn't want to stop him. It was weird kissing Vince. They'd never kissed before. Vince had said on his first night that it was one of their policies.

"You know," Vince said when he slumped back his chair and waited for the red heat of embarrassment to wear off, "that was my first kiss."

"Really?" Howard asked nervously.

Vince nodded slowly. "It was nice," he concluded, handing the plan back to Howard.

"Mmm," Howard agreed. He was completely shell-shocked. He couldn't take anything in at the moment. He felt stunned and he only snapped out of it, when Vince went to get out of the car.

"Wait," Howard shouted, grabbing Vince's arm. "Don't go, not yet."

Vince nodded and settled back into the seat. Howard leant over until he was inches from Vince. Their noses brushed together but neither dared to make the next move. Their breath mingled, as they moved trying different angles to invite the other one to take the plunge. In the end, neither was sure who moved that final few millimetres to close the gap. They kissed like lovers. It certainly wasn't the kiss of prostitute and client. It meant so much more than that."Come back to mine," Howard whispered when he pulled away.

Vince just nodded.

--

Vince and Howard stared at the ceiling. They'd been in this situation many, many times before but never before had there been any question over what it had all meant. Now, Howard wasn't sure what Vince expected of him. And Vince had no idea whether Howard felt about him the way he felt about Howard. So neither said anything. They just led there, hoping the fairytale could last forever. But of course it couldn't. Time was getting on and Mary would be back soon, so Howard sat up and leant over to get his wallet. He didn't want to pay Vince. He'd wanted it to mean more than that but at the end of the day, this was Vince's job. He probably couldn't survive without the cash.

"Don't," Vince said, voice caught somewhere between a beg and a whisper.

"B-"

"Please," he interrupted. "Don't even offer. I… I thought maybe this was more than … I'm an idiot." Vince got up and started to pull his clothes on. "You don't care about me anymore than the rest of them."

"That's not true," cried Howard, scrambling across the bed to be closer to Vince as he pulled his shoes on. "I just thought you thought I was just a client and that's it."

"No. You were never just a client Howard, don't tell me you couldn't see that." Then his hand shot to his mouth and he stared in terror at Howard.

"What?"

"I just said your name," he whispered right in Howard's ear, "I'm so sorry."

"It doesn't matter," Howard assured him, kissing him on the forehead. "None of it matters."

Vince shook his head frantically. "You don't understand, he'll get you."

"I don't care." Howard promised. He sounded braver than he felt and it certainly seemed to fool Vince because he just sighed and said,

"I'd better be going. People will wonder where I am."

Howard agreed and Vince was just about to say goodbye, when they heard the latch on the front door creak open.

'Mary' mouthed Howard, running his hand through his hair as he looked around the room. The

bed clothes were sweaty and rucked in the middle. Howard's clothes were thrown everywhere and the whole place smelt of sex and stale weed. Mary couldn't come in this room.

"Stay here," he urged Vince. The kid nodded silently and Howard went out to meet Mary.

Of course, she wanted to go straight to her bedroom for some unfathomable reason but Howard managed to persuade her to have a cup of tea and not only that, he managed to persuade her it would be better in the conservatory. As soon as she was out of the way, he dragged a miserable-looking Vince from his room and down the stairs to the front door.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked.

"I … just once," he sighed, "I'd like to be more than someone's dirty little secret."

"Vince, you _are _more that…"

"HOWARD!" Mary's voice cut through the air like a blade made of ice and Howard started with a fright.

"See," Vince sighed. "Thanks for getting my brothers out but I don't think we should ever see each other again."

"But…"

"Please," he begged. "I can't do this anymore. Not with you."

Howard could only watch Vince leave. He wanted to stop him from walking away. He wanted to drag him back and beg him to stay forever but he couldn't. They were from two different worlds. Two worlds that could only be joined under the cover of darkness and sleazy backstreets. It was never going to the place for a tiny seed of love to grow into something bigger but it had and it would always be there, withering and dying slowly until the two people could barely remember it at all.

--

The wedding bells rang out through the town. It was the biggest wedding of the year. The whole place had been pulled to a standstill. The majority of people were attending the wedding and those who weren't were attending the reception. People had been filling into the ancient castle since nine o'clock. The other streets were deserted, shops abandoned and pubs bare. It was quiet, eerily so.

At Chandos Rise, two boys were packing all of their possessions into a case, preparing themselves for the long journey ahead of them.

"Why can't you come with us?" Pip demanded. "You shouldn't stay."

"There's only two tickets," Vince pointed out, putting Pip's toys into a rucksack for him with a sandwich and a drink.

"So why didn't you ask that bloke to give you three tickets?"

"Because I will be missed," Vince shouted, "I'll be missed earlier than you two. We all know Frank doesn't go through the tapes until the evening."

They'd found that out the day Vince had refused to take money from Howard. Vince still bore the black eye that proved it. Dan's eyes drifted the ugly black mark on his brothers face.

"Oi," Vince warned, "we're not thinking about that."

"But now we know he's capable of anything," Dan whinged.

Vince flinched a little. He'd known Frank was capable of anything for almost nine years but he didn't say anything except, "More of a reason for you and Pip to get away."

"But…"

"No Dan. Stop. You're going. I can't come. End of."

"Fine, just … promise you're not staying for … him." Dan glared at Vince.

They'd spoken about Howard a lot on the black eye evening. Dan had been furious when Vince admitted he thought he loved the man. He'd hit his older brother with a few home truths and Vince had nodded and taken it all without flinching. He'd known it all anyway. He'd known the risks, he'd known how hurt he would get but he'd fallen for him anyway. Vince had cried that night, not that he'd let any of the children or even Dan see him. Dan had heard it though, soft sobs being suffocated by a pillow. It was the first time Vince Noir had cried since his dad died and that's what scared Dan the most because he knew that for the second time in his life, Vince Noir had a broken heart.

But he was here now, looking happy enough and he pushed a final pair of socks into his brothers' suitcase and dragged it down the stairs. The goodbyes were more than a bit tearful. Pip refused to let go of Vince's leg for a good minute and Dan hugged Vince so tight he thought he'd choke but eventually, Vince had to wave the taxi away, not knowing if he'd ever see the boys again.


	6. Chapter 6

**Oh My Google!! It's been aaaaagessss! Since i updated this - sorry!! Quick updates shall resume (or begin, one of the two). I just hope you guys still wanna read this! =S.**

**Anyway ... WEDDING!! On with the story...**

* * *

Howard took a deep breath. He was terrified, mainly because he wasn't sure he was making the right decision. He watched Mary walking towards him. She was beaming because they were in a castle and she'd been brought here by a horse and carriage. It was the perfect white wedding and it was making Howard queasy. Somehow, he wanted to break it or at least bend it a little so it wasn't quite as flawless. Mary smiled at him and he forced a smile back. Then he noticed the look of thunder on Frank's face as he walked beside her. He shuddered. He'd never seen Frank like that before. Maybe he knew. Maybe he'd found out about the escape.

"You hurt my daughter Howard…" he growled, when they got close enough, and then his face broke into a huge grin, "ahhh, I know you're the perfect man for her."

Howard nodded, and swallowed nervously. "Thank you sir, dad Frank, sir."

"You'll get there eventually son," Frank smiled smacking Howard on the back and kissing Mary softly on the cheek.

Mary was beaming. This was her perfect wedding after all. Though her perfect wedding probably didn't have her future-husband's hooker creep in and sit in the back seats. He hadn't made any noise when he'd arrived but Howard had still noticed him, despite the big hat and sunglasses. He couldn't concentrate after that, so when the vicar announced he was going to show a video, Howard had no idea what was going on.

He just watched as Frank stood up and said,

"A video showing the real Mary and Howard."

Everyone in the church 'awww'd loudly as a home movie of Mary as a five year old was shown. She was wearing a white wedding dress and held a white flower in her left hand."When I grow up," the girl was saying, "I'm going to arrive at my wedding in a carriage made of gold and diamonds and be married in a castle to a tall, handsome prince."

Suddenly the video changed. It was hard to work out what was being filmed for a moment as it seemed like left half of the screen was white and the other was black but after a moment or two, Howard could see the white was curtain and the black was a blurry image of him and Mary kissing on the porch after their second or third date. That nosey git must have videoed the entire awkward embrace. The video changed again, Howard and Mary announcing their engagement to her family. Then the five-year-old Mary was back.

"What will the prince be like?" The holder of the camera was asking her as Mary swished her dress around.

"He'll be very strong and very kind and he will love me very, very much. And I'll be his one and only."

Suddenly, the video changed and everyone in the castle gasped. There were two people, two men on the screen. They were grinding together on the back seat of a car. No, not just _a_ car. _Howard's_ car. And they weren't just two random men. Howard stared at the screen in complete confusion. He had no idea how Frank could have got that footage. The camera would have had to have been right in the middle of the window screen. And then, he remembered. The present. The flashing red light on the number 1 son-in-law ornament. Frank must have known or at least guessed way before Howard had understood anything about the corruption in this town.

Parents were pulling their children from the castle. People whispering and gossiping and beside Howard, Mary collapsed in tears.

"Turn that off!" Howard bellowed at the disgusting vicar. He nodded and hit the stop button. The screen went blank apart from a floating, colour-changing oval shape which read "DVD". The whole town was looking at Howard in disgust. Each and everyone condemning him even though Howard knew that 90% of them had done the same thing or worse. They were hypocrites and cowards and he couldn't blame them because he was one too.

And like a coward, he even thought about denying everything especially when he was confronted by Mary, black eyeliner and mascara streaming down her cheeks.

"How could you?" she cried, swinging her fists at his chest. Howard just took the thumps. There was nothing he could do or say to fix things with her. If anything he deserved much more than a few painless whacks to the stomach.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his face, signalling the arrival of Mary's mother. His head snapped to the side and he blinked several times before his eyes focused. The blurring images danced for a moment until he could make out the shape of Frank grabbing Vince by the hair and dragging him from the castle.

"STOP!" Howard yelled but no one took any notice. They probably thought he was talking to the endless number of people who were telling him exactly what they thought of him and his 'antics'.

Howard tried to push his way through the crowd. He had to help Vince but there was no clear path through. There were just people yelling at him. Howard had tried apologizing. He'd tried explaining. He'd even tried to tell them all the truth about Frank but none of the town were listening. They were too busy damning him for things that they'd done too. And hardly anyone could get themselves heard above Mary's screams. The noise rang in Howard's ears burning his brain like acid and it was only being made worse by the echoes from the stone walls.

Suddenly, someone gasped and pointed at the screen that had held the video. The floating oval had disappeared and in it's place was a silent, black and white movie. It was room seven, Howard recognised it immediately and stood in the middle were Frank and Vince. It must be live streaming. Everyone watched as the two men eyed each other up, carefully avoiding the other and then, Frank ripped something, maybe the iron, from the table and threw it at Vince.

The kid ducked and it narrowly missed his head.

"Are you recording this?" growled Howard, and the vicar immediately pushed the record button and then to the rest of the congregation, "d'you see what your precious Mayor is really like?"

He began to run down the aisle to the entrance of the castle and this time no one was about to stop him. They were mesmerised by the scenes ahead of them. Just as he was about to leave, one of the women screamed and Howard looked up to see Frank smack Vince with something that looked like a lamp before putting his hands around the young mans throat.

Fight him, Howard willed. Please fight him, I'm on my way.

Howard broke every speed limit, ran every red light and even mounted the pavement a couple of times. What did it matter? The police were all in the castle watching attempted murder take place, they weren't going to care about a few, petty road misdemeanours. He got out of the car and ran up the steps of Chandos like a mad man. He was panting and sweating but he didn't feel tired, he was being powered by adrenaline. He literally had no idea what he'd see once he entered room 7. He just hoped Vince would be alive. He didn't know what he would do either but it didn't matter. He had to do something. He'd just hope that thing would become obvious when he kicked the door down. It didn't.

He just kicked the door down. He heard his name being called and saw an iron heading towards him. Then, everything went black.

--

"Howaaaaaard, Howaaaaaaaaarrd." Then a pause; and, "are you sure he can hear me?"

"No."

"So why am I talking to him?"

"That's something you'll have to tell me, I've told you several times Mr Furnier, it's a waste of time."

--

"Howard, Howard, Howard. Wake up. I've got something important to ask you." Pause. "Howard? Howard. Right, you know the black bits in bananas, are they tarantulas eggs? Howard? Howard!"

--

"Right Howard, this is getting stupid now. Either, you wake up or I unleash an army of worms on you."

--

"Howard. Quick! Aliens are attacking earth and they're destroying all the … jazz!"

--

"Howard. Can you just wake up please? I'm really bored of waiting. Listen, I've got some music for you to listen to. It's John Coltrane. I remember you played it when we shagged in your car once. I hope you like it. Mary said it was one of your favourite songs. She's given evidence in court. Frank's going down, Howard. He's going to prison and that means…" There was a sigh. "Oh what's the point. You can't hear me anyway."


	7. Chapter 7

**THE END...**

* * *

Howard blinked a couple of times, his eyes stinging as they became accustomed to the lights and colours. There had been blackness and nothingness for such a long time he'd forgotten what things looked like. Even the tube light bulb attached to the hospital ceiling seemed somehow new and interesting. He shifted his eyes to the left. There were a whole load of buttons and flashing lights, which led to a tube. The very tube that was in his mouth. He shifted his eyes to the right and there was Vince. He was sat on a cheap plastic chair, forehead pressed against the cool window pain as he stared through to the world outside.

Howard tried to sit up but the movement was unnecessarily difficult. His arms felt weak and he just ended up coughing loudly. Vince's head snapped around and as soon as he saw Howard's eyes looking back at him, he burst into tears.

--

Howard led on the sofa, moaning loudly about … something. Vince wasn't sure what anymore. Howard had moaned so much since his release from hospital three months ago, Vince had stopped taking any notice. He just carried on as though Howard was a radio to be ignored for the most part.

"Hey," Vince grinned, thrusting a letter in Howard's face, "look at that. Did you see it?" He asked, snatching the letter away without even a pause to breathe.

"Of course I didn't see it," Howard pointed out bitterly.

"It basically says I'm rich," Vince grinned. "Dear Mr Vincent Furnier. We are pleased to inform you that due to recent events, that'll be the arrest of old Franky boy, you have inherited the fortune of Colin Furnier and are now legal guardian of Phillip Francis Furnier and Daniel Harrison Furnier… blah, blah, blah. The rest is just jargon. But d'you know what the best bit is? Frank can't even find a loophole to claim the money back. Turns out, the whole thing Chandos Rise everything, it was in my mum's name, not my dad's. It was never his to give away. And in my mum's will, she split it into three for me, Dan and Pip. It's pretty complicated but you can read all about it when you've stopped pretending you're dying."

"I _am_ dying."

"Don't say that," Vince said seriously. "It's not funny."

"I'm only joking."

"Yeah, but everyone I love has died I don't …"

"Okay, I'm sorry." Howard cut in gently, reaching out to hold Vince's hand and pull him closer.

Vince nodded and sat on the tiny sliver of sofa Howard wasn't occupying.

It was a nice flat. Vince had bought it. He'd known for weeks he was getting this money. It was just a matter of making it official. He'd put enough aside to get him and Howard through the next few years, whilst he built himself an education. He'd used some of it to bring Pip and Dan home from France but the rest was going to converting his and Dan's thirds of Chandos Rise into an orphanage for all the homeless children he used to look after.

Vince just stared down at Howard, who beckoned him down so he could kiss him. Just as their lips met, they were forced apart by a loud groaning.

"Get a room," was the accompanying shout as Dan threw his schoolbag down at the door. "You pair are gross."

Vince just laughed a little as his brother strolled through the living room into the kitchen. Vince followed him, just as Pip ran and jumped on Howard's belly saying;

"Look at this picture I drew uncle Howard, it's of you and Vince and me and Dan and we're all living in a flat and we're all happy."

Vince walked into the kitchen and pushed the letter into Dan's hands, grinning like a mad man. Dan skimmed the letter quickly and then shut the door.

"Are you sure it's over?" Dan asked.

Vince nodded solemnly.

"Promise me Vince, please."

"I promise you, Dan. It's all over. We're safe."

"And Pip, do they know about Pip?"

Vince shook his head slowly.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

Dan nodded and breathed out steadily. "Okay. Good." Then he grinned. "I mean. It's great."

"Yeah, it is," Vince beamed back.

--

"Here's the thing, Mr Butcher," the lawyer grinned, his disgusting crooked yellow teeth gleaming in the low artificial light. "I've been looking at a few things to do with this case. I've been doing a lot of digging and some barely legal undercover work."

"I like the sound of that," grinned the convict. "Have you found anything juicy?"

"Well Mr Butcher, I'm happy to tell you that you are the proud father and therefore legal guardian _and _more importantly next of kin to a certain Mr Philip Furnier … or should that be Phillip Butcher."

* * *

**Thought I should post this just in case anyone was interested in how it ended … lol. I can't believe how lazy I was with the story. I think life just caused a distraction. I'm hoping to get back into Boosh fanfic in a big way soon … I've missed it (haha - what a loser? =D)**

**Thanks for reading!**

**xx**


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